Swedes become first in Europe to adopt a low-GI health claim

Swedenhas become the first country in Europe to allow health claims on products with a low-GI rating. While many European countries, most notably the UK, have embraced the low-GI idea, with GI products and labelling schemes in place alerting consumers to low- and medium-GI foods, Sweden has moved into novel territory by formalizing a health claim which low-GI products can bear. The claim states, “(X) gives a low and slow blood sugar response and has a scientifically tested low glycaemic index.”

Sweden’s Cerealia Foods and Bread is putting the claim on eight of its products, including its vegetarian foods joint venture with Finnish-based Raisio Group, GoGreen. Products approved include ready meals with rice or pasta, a muesli product and a bread product.

“We are targeting the sports and healthy lifestyle because while GI awareness is rising in Sweden, it is still fairly low,” said Christian Ahl, business development manager at Swedish-based Cerealia Foods and Breads. “We did some research that showed only 10 per cent of Swedes understood GI — so we are targeting those consumers. We have launched a TV ad campaign, and are educating the public about GI via in-store leaflets, as well as information on our website.”

The claim is part of the Swedish self-regulatory system Code of Practise from 2004, “Health claims in labelling and marketing of foods”. Behind the Code are Swedish Food Federation, Swedish Food Retailers Federation and Swedish Nutrition Foundation.  To gain the claim, products must meet the following criteria:

Products must have been tested according to methodology of the World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, on at least 10 healthy non-medicating test subjects at two independent labs.

The GI determination should be made in the morning after fasting.

Products must be carbohydrate-rich providing at least 15g and preferably 20g carbohydrate per serving, and it is recommended that the subjects eat an amount of the test product that corresponds to 50g available carbohydrates.

Source: Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals www.ffnmag.com

For more information about the Code of Practise: http://www.hp-info.nu/SweCode_2004_1.pdf

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